CBEX 2026 Speaker Series: The Trust Advantage

We’re honored to host Brigadier General (Ret.) Mark Towne, author of Build Trust First, for a practical and powerful conversation on trust-centered leadership in real organizations. Randy Mitchell will moderate the discussion.

In today’s environment, trust is no longer assumed. It must be earned, built, and reinforced. Most leaders agree that trust is important, but few can clearly explain how to build it on purpose. For small and mid-sized businesses where teams, customers, and partners rely on close relationships, trust is often the difference between growth and failure.

Trust is not a soft skill – it is a strategic competency that affects:

• Hiring and retention
• Accountability and performance
• Customer loyalty
• Culture and resilience

• Lessons from 30+ years of leadership, from front-line military units to the boardroom
• A practical framework for building trust intentionally – not just hoping it happens
• Insights from C-suite interviews conducted while writing Build Trust First
• How trust leadership accelerates performance and strengthens culture
• Why trust is the foundation of sustainable growth

• Small and mid-sized business owners who are growth-oriented or frustrated with their people
• CEOs, COOs, and department leaders who want to increase their influence and effectiveness
• Advisors and professionals who support SMBs

• Practical insight from a leader who built trust in the highest-stakes environments
• Simple tools to strengthen trust across your organization you can implement immediately
• A sharper understanding of how trust drives results

Location: Suffolk Punch Brewing South Park 4400 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC

(704) 397-3904 (between Dick’s Sporting Goods and The Container Store – back side of Southpark Mall)

Cost to Attend: $35.00

Includes Full Breakfast Menu: Smoke bacon, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, toast with butter and jelly, coffee and juice.

Join us for an engaging and informative session that will leave you motivated and inspired.

Register Now!

Brigadier General (U.S. Army, Retired) Mark Towne

Brigadier General (Ret) Mark Towne served in the United States Army for over thirty-four years, starting out as a private and eventually retiring as a general officer in the Pentagon.

He is a respected and sought-after thought leader, speaker, author, and advisor who equips executives to proactively build trust as a leadership core competency. His areas of expertise include business leadership and national security issues ranging from infrastructure, energy, training, education, strategic planning, leadership and organizational behavior to geopolitical competition and risk in global markets.

Mark served on the Board of Directors for a faith-based non-profit, is a former vice-president in the banking industry, and is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of VETS Leadership LLC. He holds several advanced degrees including a Master of Science in Management, Master of Business Administration, Master of Military Studies, a Master of Strategic Studies, and a Doctor of Education (Interdisciplinary Leadership). Mark and his wife are the blessed parents of two grown children of whom they are very proud. In his spare time, you will find Mark and his wife hiking in the North Carolina mountains. If you would like to contact Mark and explore booking him for a speaking event, visit his website at vetsleadership.com or email him directly at [email protected].

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Host or Publisher Charlotte Business Exchange (CBEX)